


Time and Love Triangles

by dreamweaver11



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Atem has feelings for Yuugi, Canon Compliant, Gen, M/M, Slice of Life, Yuugi's feelings are ambiguous, too much time for thinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 10:34:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11621760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamweaver11/pseuds/dreamweaver11
Summary: How much more time did he have left before he would have to move on to the next world and leave behind those he cared for in the here-and-now?Many times these thoughts had occurred to him, and, as usual, his mind turned toward his friend and partner, the bright light that never wavered, the one who had banished the darkness:  Yugi.





	Time and Love Triangles

Time.

 

In many ways, the thought of time preoccupied the Pharaoh, particularly during the long hours when Yuugi was busy with school or family or friends. The spirit of the Puzzle had often felt that he had too much time, dreary hours and days and years which had dragged on in suffocating darkness. Now, he felt… _limited_ , somehow, as if time were slipping away from him, and he was being propelled toward the end.

 

He did not know what that end was. But he did have a suspicion, and it filled him with anxiety.

 

How much more time did he have left before he would have to move on to the next world and leave behind those he cared for in the here-and-now?

 

Many times these thoughts had occurred to him, and, as usual, his mind turned toward his friend and partner, the bright light that never wavered, the one who had banished the darkness:  Yuugi.

 

And again time pressed against him. The boy, only a teenager and not much younger than the Pharaoh himself had been when his soul had been trapped in the Puzzle, would have been considered an adult in the Pharaoh’s Egypt, despite his short stature and youthful appearance, but the spirit could not quite think of him as such. Compared to the many thousands of years which the spirit had endured, the boy seemed too impossibly young. The spirit, with an ache deep in his chest, had resigned himself to caring for the boy as a little brother, but when he examined his feelings honestly, he had to admit that the way he thought of his partner was anything but.

 

There were moments, however, when Yuugi would startle him with an insight that seemed much too old for his years, and the spirit, while disconcerted, would not feel quite so ancient. And the distance between them, maintained subtly and carefully by the Pharaoh as protection both for his feelings and for the boy, would shrink ever so slightly.

 

“Pharaoh?” Yuugi called out softly after closing the door to his room. He dropped his school bag on the floor and stretched in relief.

 

Interrupted from his thoughts, the spirit left his soul room, materializing in front of his partner. “ _I am here, Yuugi_.” He smiled down at the boy. It was somewhat of a ritual between them; when Yuugi got home, he would call to the spirit and tell him about his day, particularly about anything fun or frightening that had happened. And the spirit might share some of his thoughts from the day, or ask questions about the strange customs of the present, comparing them to his own vague memories of Egypt. This was their time together, and the Pharaoh treasured it.

 

But today he was finding it more difficult than usual to tear himself from his previous thoughts. _With his insights, it is not a surprise that Yuugi is so talented at gaming,_ the spirit thought, studying his partner surreptitiously as Yuugi described his day enthusiastically. _Once he becomes more conscious of his intuition, he will be utterly unbeatable._ A faint, melancholic smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. _I wish that I could have a chance to see the man he will become._

 

Yuugi, unpacking his school bag as he filled in the Pharaoh on his day, glanced up now and then at his partner. There was a pensive look in the Pharaoh’s eyes, and he seemed uncharacteristically distracted. Although Yuugi’s day may not have been fascinating to most people, the spirit always listened attentively, but today something seemed to be bothering him. Without knowing quite how, Yuugi could sense that asking the Pharaoh directly would not reveal the source of his distraction. Perhaps, though, he could give his partner something else to think about.

 

“Pharaoh, have you noticed that Anzu likes you?” Yuugi asked suddenly. Based on the sudden furrow in the spirit’s brow, he had gotten the spirit’s attention.

 

“ _I like her, too. She is a good friend_ ,” the Pharaoh replied, unsure what exactly his partner meant.

 

Yuugi gave a small laugh, shaking his head at the spirit. “No, I mean she _like-_ likes you. Not just as a friend.”

 

The Pharaoh shifted his gaze away in faint discomfort, a small flush rising in his cheeks. “ _I had not noticed. Did she tell you?_ ” In truth, the few times he appeared and had taken control of his partner’s body, he was usually too busy dealing with a dangerous situation to gauge the emotional reactions of their shared friends.

 

“No, but I can see the way she looks at you when you’re in control.” Yuugi looked at the spirit a bit shyly. “How do you feel about Anzu?” He didn’t want to pry too much, but he was curious.

 

The spirit frowned, considering the question. “ _I cannot say that I feel… romantically about her._ ” It was true; he considered her to be a very close friend, but he did not feel any differently about her than he did about their other friends. Oddly enough, she seemed to be the one most often taken hostage in situations, but the Pharaoh would have fought just as hard to save Jonouchi or Honda. He suspected that Anzu was taken either because their male friends were physically better able to defend themselves or because Yuugi clearly had feelings for his childhood friend and their enemies wanted to use those feelings against him. Besides, even if he had been so inclined toward Anzu, he would never do anything to jeopardize his friendship with Yuugi.

 

His partner’s clear violet gaze rested on him, warming and disconcerting him though he did not show it. “Pharaoh, if you like her too, you don’t have to hold back for my sake,” Yuugi told him. Inside, the boy was glad that his partner respected his feelings so much, but if the two people he cared about most would be happy together, he definitely did not want to stand in their way.

 

The spirit sighed. He wished to allay Yuugi’s concerns, but he was not keen on revealing his own feelings when he knew how Yuugi felt about Anzu. Gripping his partner’s shoulders in his insubstantial grip, he locked gazes with the boy. “ _While it is true that I take your feelings into account, and while Anzu is beautiful, I do not consider her as anything other than a friend._ ” The look in the Pharaoh’s crimson eyes was intense, and there was deep sadness there. “ _My heart lies elsewhere._ ”

 

Eyes wide, Yuugi felt heat rush to his face, his emotions conflicting. His own heart ached at the look in the Pharaoh’s eyes even while he felt relief at his words. Yet another part also felt for Anzu, because her own feelings were in vain. And underneath everything, there was the nagging sense that he was missing something big, something that the Pharaoh was trying to tell him without words. The whole situation was very confusing.

 

“I… I understand,” he responded, feeling oddly guilty for asking so personal a question. Part of him wanted to squirm out of the insubstantial grip and hide from those crimson eyes, but he felt pinned in place, unable to break the spell himself.

 

The Pharaoh held his gaze for a moment longer, before sighing again and closing his eyes, releasing Yuugi from his hold – and Yuugi was able to breathe again.

 

When the Pharaoh opened his eyes, those raw emotions were buried and he smiled gently at his partner. _I wish fervently that he did,_ a part of the Pharaoh’s heart whispered.

 

Yuugi blinked hard, eyes suddenly moist at the feeling of loneliness emanating from the spirit, and impulsively wrapped his arms around his partner’s ghostly form. “I’m sorry. I just… If there’s anything I can do? Anyone you want to spend more time with… or anything.”

 

The Pharaoh could feel the pained yet loving empathy from his partner through the bond. The feeling wrenched at something deep inside him, but how could he explain? Even if the boy returned his feelings, a relationship would only make the separation harder on both of them. But suppressing his own feelings, and concealing them from his partner, was agony. Hesitantly, he returned the embrace with a sigh, allowing himself just this moment. It would not last long, but maybe it would be enough for the time being.


End file.
